New bearing system keeps circulating water pumps running in a
nuclear power plant.
Knowing the basics of pump repair can simplify preventive maintenance.
What is the secret to continuously baking or processing cakes, pizza, chicken, beer and thousands of other foods and beverages? Mechanical carbon materials used in the food processing equipment produce these foods safely and cost effectively.
Q. Our pumps take their suction from an open tank. When the liquid level drops, surface vortices are formed that allow air to be drawn into the pumps. What changes can be made to the tank to correct this problem?
Rolling bearings are precision machine elements found in a wide variety of applications. They are typically reliable even under the toughest conditions. Under normal operating conditions, bearings have a substantial service life, which is expressed as either a period of time or as the total number of rotations before the rolling elements or inner and outer ring fatigue or fail.
For more than 100 years, machine parts composed of mechanical carbon have provided an alternative solution in applications where temperature and atmosphere prevent the use of oil-grease lubricants. Mechanical carbon materials contain graphite, which is relied on for its self-lubricating characteristics.
Rolling bearings play vital roles as the hearts of rotating machinery (pumps included) by supporting shafts, locating loads, enabling rotation and reducing friction. When bearings need to be replaced, improper dismounting and mounting techniques can shorten their life expectancy.
In this age of environmental consciousness, OEMs around the world are competing to build better, safer and greener machines. In striving toward such lofty goals, many industries are rediscovering a fundamental principle-magnetics.
The initial cost of a pump is a small component of the pump's total life cycle cost. Progressive, proactive maintenance practices are vital to maximize pump life, minimize downtime and avoid costly repairs and lost production.
When evaluating bearing distress, the babbitted shoe surface is commonly the only area that is examined. Although a great deal of information can be extracted from the babbitt appearance, additional information exists elsewhere.
Magnetic bearing systems represent a different approach from rolling bearings to support rotating machinery, and in recent years, their benefits have attracted attention for more applications.
An unexpected bearing failure needs to be understood and seen as an opportunity for improvements.
Centrifugal process pumps are wor
Given time, every component of the rotating machinery will eventually fail, even when operating in a perfect environment. For instance, rotation of the shaft subjects it to alternating load, changing from tension to compression with each shaft revolution.
Pump manufacturers in a variety of industries are increasingly asked to deliver more with less; they need to handle increased loads with improved system efficiency but reduce envelope, environmental impact and total system cost.
For more than 25 years Shock Pulse has proven to be a valuable method for evaluating bearing condition. Shock Pulse is easy to use and understand. With the addition of enveloping to the Shock Pulse signal, a more exact diagnosis is available, allowing end users to identify the damaged component within the bearing.
It has been 54 years since Tracy Hall invented the first manmade diamond at the General Electric (GE) laboratories in Schenectady, New York. Since then, synthetic polycrystalline diamond (PCD) has found wide use as an abrasive and as a cutting element, with an annual market of $4 billion (3 billion carats in 2005).
Progressive maintenance practices are vital to maximize pump life, minimize downtime and avoid costly repairs and lost production. It is good practice to plan the detailed groundwork of maintenance programs, along with contingencies for various maintenance events to minimize downtime.
Lubricants for rotating machinery primarily serve to separate rolling and sliding contact surfaces, protect highly finished bearing surfaces from corrosion, protect against contaminants (in the case of grease) and serve as a heat-transfer medium (in the case of oil). An effective lubricant management program-grounded in proper lubricant monitoring and analysis practices-can help reinforce these functions and, in the process, deliver vital information about the machinery's condition and health.
